Chapter Ten #3
The plain marble square in front showed off the elaborate gothic architecture to perfection.
People milled around, taking photos. A few children chased pigeons which took flight, flapping only a small distance away to land, before being chased again.
They walked up to the door, avoiding the queue.
Someone met them and handed Leo two tickets.
‘So, we don’t have to line up?’
He took off his sunglasses and winked. ‘No. I have a few friends in high places. It pays to know me.’
She placed her hand on his chest. ‘Why, Mr Zanetti, you do come with some benefits.’
His pupils flared dark in the languid blue of his eyes. ‘Later I’ll show you just how many, but for now, come explore.’
They walked inside the vast space. The floors, beautifully patterned marble.
The plain walls spliced with jewel coloured stained glass windows.
The vaulted ceiling, soaring above them.
The cathedral’s magnificence gave her a new perspective on her own existence.
It made many of her all too human problems seem small, insignificant.
‘We should see the terraces first, then we can explore the rest of the building, if you wish. I might light a candle…after.’
To honour his mother. She reached out and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.
‘How do we get up top?’ she asked.
‘There’s an elevator for which we have tickets, or we can climb over two hundred stairs. Your preference?’
It sounded like the decision was hers to make and whatever she chose didn’t matter, but there was a tightness around his eyes that told another story.
‘Let’s do the elevator.’
It was almost like he let out a long breath. ‘Good choice.’
Even with their express tickets, there was a small queue. When they finally got into the lift Leo seemed bristling with what she guessed was excitement.
‘This is the best view of the city. Even with all the tourists it’s one of my favourite places in Milan.’
The doors opened, and they walked out through a plain, stone-walled corridor, then up a few more stairs and onto a rooftop.
Simone gasped.
Above them towered the Gothic spires of the cathedral, like a forest of stone intent on piercing the heavens.
Each spire topped with a figure, like sentinels watching over the city.
Everywhere she turned there was another intricate carving.
Gargoyles, animals, people. The flying buttresses a marvel in themselves, richly decorated with their own architectural carvings.
‘This…’ Words were stolen from her. It was overwhelming, surrounded by all the glorious excess.
‘Now you understand why it’s my favourite place in the city,’ he said pointing. ‘Look. It’s clear enough. Today you can see the Alps.’
The mountains rose above the horizon, capped in snow.
‘It’s so beautiful.’
He smiled, but Leo’s gaze wasn’t on the view, but on her. ‘I know.’
The moment seemed to slow, like a pause in the world turning. Then he blinked and focused on the city ahead of them.
‘Would you like a photograph to send to Holly?’
‘That’d be great,’ she said pulling her phone out of her bag, setting up the camera and handing it to him. She stood with the spires and buttresses behind her, smiling as he took pictures.
‘That should do for now.’ He handed the phone back to her. She opened her gallery and flicked through. She almost couldn’t recognise herself because she looked…
Happy.
As she was about to slip her phone back into her bag a text notification popped up on the screen. Whilst they were having downtime, it was from Circolo’s accountant. She opened the message in case it was important.
Leo hasn’t picked up.
Pls ask him to call re the charity for Roma.
Strange, she didn’t know anything about Rome, or a charity.
‘I have a message from Roberto. Something about Rome? He wants you to call. It sounds urgent.’
Leo’s mouth tightened almost imperceptibly. ‘I’ll deal with it later. We’re sightseeing, remember?’
‘Are you sure? Is there anything—’
‘No. Nothing.’
She frowned. Leo walked up to her, reached out and stroked his finger gently down the middle of her forehead, as if smoothing out the crease there.
‘Allow us to have this time. If there’s anything I need your help with, I’ll ask. I recognise your value to me, in all things.’
He pressed her against the marble balustrade, slid his arms round her waist, dropped his head and captured her lips in a gentle, passionate kiss.
It was like she was standing on a precipice of choices and in this moment she simply let herself fall into it, above this beautiful city, like she was standing in the heavens. It overwhelmed her, the sensation.
She felt valued. She felt seen.
She felt loved.
The kisses slowed to a stop, and Leo pulled back.
She looked up at him—so solid, tall, those shoulders broad enough to carry the weight of a world.
To carry hers. He had a soft, knowing smile on his face.
It was on the tip of her tongue, to say three words that might change them both for ever.
But now wasn’t the right time—not when everything was so new.
Like a butterfly just hatched from its chrysalis, its wings fragile and fresh.
It needed some more time, till those wings became solid and it could take flight. So that’s what she’d give it, since time was what she’d been granted. Because whilst she’d almost died, Leo had shown her a life she wanted to live.